Did you know that the University of Alaska Anchorage is partnering with the Anchorage School District to help high school students earn their private pilots licenses? 

As part of the new partnership, high school students attending King Tech High School in the Aviation Technology track can earn their piloting license through UAA’s Aviation Technology Division (ATD) within the Community Technical College (CTC).

The partnership aims to bridge the gap for teens in King Tech’s aviation track to make the leap (literally) from ground school training to the air. The new pilot would earn their pilot’s license before the first bell rings for their senior year of high school. It’s a partnership that has been two years in development and represents countless hours of coordinated efforts between the university and ASD.

The partnership will serve an important role in filling a gap in the state’s workforce. “I think what is really great about this, is that right out of high school, they’re [ students] getting college credits and they are already plugged into UAA’s program,” said John Fick, aviation technology instructor at King Tech. “It’s really a win-win for everybody.” 

More information on this partnership can be found here.